Bruin Notes

George Fox Makes Prestigious List

Forbes ranks university alongside Notre Dame and Boston College as one of the nation’s best.

A year after Forbes listed George Fox as the highest-ranked Christian college in the nation, the university has now been placed on what President Robin Baker is calling our most important ranking ever.

George Fox earned a spot among the top 10 in Forbes Media’s 2010 ranking of The Best Religiously Affiliated Colleges, placing No. 8 on the list that Forbes said was comprised of 20 schools that offer quality education and connection to faith. The rankings include Boston College (No. 2), Kenyon College (No. 3) and the University of Notre Dame (No. 5). George Fox was the only college in the 109-member Council for Christian Colleges & Universities to earn a spot on the list.

Last year in a separate ranking, George Fox was ranked No. 58 overall in Forbes’ 2009 America’s Best Colleges report. The university was the top CCCU member on that list, making it the top-ranked Christian college in the nation.

Forbes re-sorted its 2009 rankings of America’s Best Colleges to look at only those schools with formal (even if they’re mainly historic) affiliations to a particular faith, according to the Forbes website.

Of George Fox, Forbes stated, Although many colleges and universities featured on this list boast mostly historic ties to faith, others, such as George Fox University, feel that spiritual growth is an essential part of a well-rounded education. The university integrates its Christian faith into its curriculum through a Spiritual Life Program, where students participate in programs like community service and chapel, which hosts popular theologians and facilitates worship.

At George Fox, undergraduate students attend twice-weekly chapel services and engage in service-oriented projects to benefit the local and global communities. George Fox’s commitment to service is reflected in the school’s mission: To prepare students spiritually, academically, and professionally to think with clarity, act with integrity, and serve with passion.

iPad or MacBook?

George Fox’s decision to give incoming freshman a choice between a new MacBook or a new iPad has made national headlines. The decision to offer both devices puts George Fox on the cutting edge of technology in higher education circles, according to Greg Smith, the university’s chief information officer.

With this, we’re basically asking students ‘What computing system will work best for you?’ Smith said. By giving them this option, they can choose between the iPad, a mobile device known for its networking and e-textbook capabilities, or the laptop, which offers more computing horsepower.

For more than 20 years, George Fox has supplied a computer for each incoming undergraduate as part of its Computers Across the Curriculum program, recently renamed Connected Across Campus. The goal of the new direction is to offer the most innovative tools for teaching and learning.

How the numbers work out will be interesting, but no matter what I think we will see many iPads, iPhones and iTouches throughout the undergraduate population, Smith said.

Record Enrollment Prompts Wait List

A year after earning a top-100 college ranking from Forbes, a record number of undergraduate applicants has put George Fox University in the unprecedented position of having to create a wait list of students who wish to enroll this fall.

By the first week of May, more than 570 incoming students had paid a deposit – a step generally only made by those serious about attending, according to Ryan Dougherty, director of undergraduate admissions. Those translate into attention-getting numbers in comparison to the fall of 2009, when 518 new students enrolled.

And the numbers might get even bigger. The university anticipates adding another 40 international students – most of them from China – and may add 10 to 12 more transfer students. It is possible that the school will welcome 600-plus new undergraduate students in August, breaking the school’s previous high of 587 in 2005.